JustBats Blog

One-Piece vs. Two-Piece Bats

Written by Derek H | Oct 30, 2012 6:17:21 PM

What type of bat is right for my hitting style?

In a baseball and softball bat market of ever increasing technology the recurring questions always come back to one-piece bats vs. two-piece bats. Which is better for a power hitter? Which is better for a contact hitter? What are the benefits to one over the other? Unfortunately there are no black and white answers to these questions because every hitter has their own preferences, but there is a clear difference in constructions and technology between one-piece bats and two-piece bats. We at JustBats.com are here to provide you with the facts to allow you to make the most informed decision possible. Here are the facts.

>>> One-Piece Models <<<           >>> Two-Piece Models <<<

First we should lay the groundwork starting with the basic difference in construction of the two bats. A one-piece bat is developed as one continuous piece of metal. A two-piece bat is created in two sections, the barrel and the handle, which are bonded together. Now that we know how they are constructed we can move onto the science behind the two construction methods.

One-piece bats provide little or no give and have a stiff feel when contact is made with the ball. Due to the fact that one-piece bats have a very minimal amount of flex at contact, little or no energy is lost which results in more power. For this reason, one-piece bats are preferred by stronger players with above average bat speed such as a power hitter.

Two-piece bats provide more flex at contact with the ball. The two-piece construction creates a “whip” effect that results in an increase in bat speed. An increase in bat speed results in an increase in power. For this reason players with average or below average bat speed such as a contact hitter, prefer two-piece bats .

We would encourage everyone to check out our JustBats.com Buyers Guide and JustBats.com Bat Resource Guide for additional information on the differences between one-piece and two-piece bats and other fantastic information such as sizing charts to figure out the appropriate bat size.



Here are links to some of the most popular one-piece and two-piece bats for BBCOR, Senior League (Youth Big Barrel), Youth, and Fastpitch softball bats.

One-Piece BBCOR Baseball Bats: Marucci Cat 7 , Louisville Slugger Omaha 517, Rawlings VELO

Two-Piece BBCOR Baseball Bats: Easton MAKO Beast DeMarini CF Zen

One-Piece Senior League (Youth Big Barrel) Bats: Easton S3 , Rawlings 5150

Two-Piece Senior League (Youth Big Barrel) Bats: DeMarini Voodoo, Mizuno Covert

One-Piece Youth Baseball Bats: Mizuno Generation , Easton S3

Two-Piece Youth Baseball Bats: Easton MAKO BEAST XL , Axe Avenge

One-Piece Fastpitch Softball Bats: COMBAT Madison ShipmanAnderson RockeTech 2.0

Two-Piece Fastpitch Softball Bats: DeMarini CF9Louisville Slugger LXT Hyper